One Minute At A Time…

Hello Friends and Followers,

Things have been a little nutty lately with me starting three new classes- Currently I am taking Human Biology 1, Human Biology Lab & Case Management so as you can imagine I am pretty swamped. I have been fitting in my workouts more often but not 100% where they need to be just yet because of school work. My diet is back on track though and I am happy to report I lost three of the seven pounds I gained over the holidays and I am still working to lose the rest and then some. My husband and family are telling me I am being too hard on myself for gaining the seven pounds over the holidays but to me that is a lot of work I feel was wasted. I know everyone gains during the holidays but I did try my best to not and still ended up gaining. I think it was because I went from eating five small meals back to three or sometimes only two meals a day- NOT GOOD. Either way I am working on it and I know this is a life long struggle for me.

My new 2012 motto is “one minute at a time” because I tend to get overwhelmed by overthinking too much and I want to try something different.  As I’ve mentioned in my previous postings that my husband and I are trying to start a family and have been steady over the last six months we felt that it was best to go back and consult my GYN again about some concerns we had.  So last Friday I went in for a consultation with Dr. Cascle at the Comprehensive Women’s Medical Center and I sat with him and discussed my concerns. He advised again that my previous surgery to remove my cervical cancer cells should not have an impact on getting pregnant but he did order some other testing. He ordered me a few blood tests and an ultrasound. So bright and early Monday morning I went back to his office and had my ultrasound, the technician thinks I may have a uterine polyp- this was somewhat scary for me and I had many questions so the ultrasound tech discussed everything with me. I will have to have one more ultrasound to really determine if I indeed have them. Women-  I CANNOT EXPRESS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO SEE A GYN REGULARLY. GET YOUR ANNUAL PAP SMEARS AND MAMMOGRAMS!

Being  overweight  and having high blood pressure in my mid-twenties I come with a lot of risk factors and uterine polyps is one of them. I have enclosed some information regarding them below:

Uterine polyps are growths attached to inner wall of the uterus and protruding into the uterine cavity. Overgrowth of cells in the lining of the uterus (endometrium) leads to the formation of uterine polyps. The sizes of uterine polyps range from a few millimeters — no larger than a sesame seed — to several centimeters — golf ball sized or larger. They are attached to the uterine wall by a large base or a thin stalk. You can have one or many uterine polyps. They usually stay contained within your uterus, but occasionally, they may slip down through the opening of the uterus into your vagina. Although they can happen in younger women, uterine polyps most commonly occur in women in their 40s and 50s. It's possible to have uterine polyps without signs or symptoms.

Signs of uterine polyps include:

·         Irregular menstrual bleeding — for example, having frequent, unpredictable periods of variable length and heaviness

·         Bleeding between menstrual periods

·         Excessively heavy menstrual periods

·         Vaginal bleeding after menopause

·         Infertility

Uterine polyps can develop in pre- or postmenopausal women. Postmenopausal women may experience only light bleeding or spotting.

When to see a doctor
Seek medical care if you have:

·         Vaginal bleeding after menopause

·         Bleeding between menstrual periods

·         Irregular menstrual bleeding

Although the exact cause of uterine polyps is unknown, hormonal factors appear to play a role. Uterine polyps are estrogen-sensitive, meaning that they respond to estrogen in the same way that the lining of your uterus does — growing in response to circulating estrogen.

RISK FACTORS:

You're at greater risk of developing uterine polyps if:

·         You're obese

·         You take tamoxifen, a drug therapy for breast cancer

·         You have high blood pressure (hypertension)

Whether uterine polyps lead to infertility remains controversial. However, if you have uterine polyps and you've been experiencing infertility, removal of the polyps might boost your fertility.

While doing this blog post some may feel I provide too much information on my site but I feel it’s important because if I am going through this I am sure other woman are also. My blood work did come back and they said everything was PERFECT, so I was happy to hear that!! I will keep my followers posted on the status of the second ultrasound which will be used to decide if I need surgury.

On a brighter note…. This little mama is going on VACATION  for my Birthday next week and I am beyond thrilled!!!!! I am going back to my hometown which is Providence, RI!! I am a bit concerned about how my nutrition will be but I will try my hardest to keep the course and not veer off to much!

Again, Thanks to my followers, friends and family for all the support!!!!

Ashley M.